Illinois Republicans Began Losing Their Moral Base Nearly A Decade Ago Which Led To The Party's Problems Today--At The National Level As Well
Daniel T. Zanoza, Executive Director
In 1994, Republicans steam-rolled their way into national Congressional power behind the ideals of moral certainty, fiscal responsibility and a promise to change the way things were done in Washington, D.C. However, it didn't take long for the trappings of political power to ensnare many of those who were swept into office by the 1994 Republican Revolution and, by the year 2000, it was hard to tell a Republican from a Democrat.
Using the state of Illinois as an example, conservative members of the GOP probably reached their zenith of influence right around the time the national Party was becoming accustomed to the trappings of power. There was plenty of excitement after the election of individuals like U.S. Senator Peter Fitzgerald in 1998. At least in Illinois, the moral wing of the Party still had momentum, but, unfortunately, that didn't last for long.
Perhaps the downfall of the Illinois GOP began after the primary run of State Sen. Patrick O'Malley in 2002, a Republican who came with impeccable credentials, as far as his devotion to the issues which energized the pro-family political base of the GOP. But O'Malley was in an uphill battle in his fight against combine member Attorney General Jim Ryan in the Republican Party's gubernatorial primary. Yet besides the fact O'Malley was challenging a corrupt Republican machine, the state Senator, who represented an important region of the southwestern suburbs of Chicago, pulled 30% of the primary vote and things still looked positive for social conservatives, even though Ryan eventually defeated O'Malley, but went on to lose in the general election.
Unfortunately, out of O'Malley's campaign staff came the seeds of political destruction for the pro-family movement in Illinois. A number of O'Malley's key staff members, including political operative Dan Proft and Blue Island Mayor Don Peloquin, decided to use O'Malley's success to bolster and give credibility to their efforts to bring gambling expansion to Chicago's southern suburbs. Indeed, organizations which have led the battle against the evils of gambling, including ILCAAAP (Illinois Church Action on Alcohol and Addiction Problems) and SSCAGE (South Suburban Citizens Against Gambling Expansion) have spent the better part of a decade holding off Proft, Peloquin and their well-funded consortium which is still pressing to achieve its goals today to expand gambling into the southern suburbs of Chicago. Though, at the time, these actions may not have seemed threatening to the pro-family movement, in hindsight, it was the beginning of the end for moral cohesion within the Illinois GOP.
The cracks in the pro-family movement have been exploited from within the Party itself and it has occurred with an audacity that has deeply crippled the social conservative movement in the GOP which had so much momentum just a few short years ago.
Ironically, Dan Proft, who has not only supported gambling expansion, has become a significant player in the Illinois Republican Party. Besides his support for gambling, Proft has played a major role in the elections of noted pro-aborts, one of whom, State Representative Elizabeth Coulson (R-Glenview), is a primary leader in the pro-abortion rights legislative voting bloc. At the same time, Proft is playing both sides of the coin with his participation in the campaigns of pro-life candidates and pro-life initiatives. It has been said a house divided against itself cannot stand. Yet Proft wrote an article posted on July 15, 2008 titled, "Why Republicans in Illinois Lose, Reason No. 64,112" in which he said, "Reason Number 64,112 as to why Republicans in Illinois lose: opposition to their own party platform." [http://ilgopnet.com/node/963 ] Talk about the pot calling the kettle black! Is it any wonder the Republican Party has been torn asunder by such leadership and hypocrisy.
Now it is completely within the realm of possibility Proft has had an epiphany and suddenly realizes the tragedy gambling rains down on our society and individuals who are trapped within the grasp of its seductive addiction. But just a few short years ago, as the head of the now defunct Illinois Leader (IL), a conservative Internet news source, Proft participated in a back and forth literary exchange with IL editor Fran Eaton, where Proft supported the pros of gambling and Eaton's assignment was to provide counterpoint. This was not a journalistic exercise meant for the entertainment of IL readers. Proft believed in gambling and his argument in the Illinois Leader would have been quite eloquent, if not for the fact thousands of individuals who are addicted to gambling commit suicide each year. Of course, Eaton won the moral argument and was consistent voicing the anti-gambling opinion which she has steadfastly held for many years.
Republicans, who were once the champions of doing what's right, started down a road of political expedience and the accumulation of wealth. Since unity against gambling had been broken by political operatives in the GOP, other issues--which were important to social conservatives--soon fell prey to what many call political opportunism.
Now it would be unfair and inappropriate to blame one or two individuals for the demise of an entire Party. With the former Governor in federal prison, obviously, there was something wrong in the GOP for many years.
The only thing some Republicans think they need to do to win elections is claim they are pro-life and for the protection of traditional marriage. But many of us have found that, often, these words are simply hollow platitudes, meant to appease an important voting bloc within the Party. If you wonder if this synopsis of the dedication many Republicans supposedly had to pro-family issues is accurate, all you need do is look back at what happened after the 1994 national elections and the 2002 GOP gubernatorial primary in Illinois. In 1994, the Illinois GOP held a majority in both Houses of the state's General Assembly, held a number of statewide offices and held the governorship itself. Yet, amazingly, legislation designed to fight abortion was practically non-existent in the years following. In one case, imprisoned former Governor George Ryan vetoed an important pro-life bill and essentially said, anyone who believed the promises he made during the campaign season was a fool.
Today, I believe that sentiment is held by far more elected Republican officials than I would like to admit. In fact, the only significant piece of pro-life legislation passed in Illinois in many years was the "Born Alive Infants Protection Act" signed into law by a Democratic Governor, Rod Blagojevich, in 2005.
In a very interesting column titled, "State House Republicans fail in effort to help Blagojevich massively expand gambling"
[http://www.championnews.net/article.php?sid=1078] author Doug Ibendahl points to the fact it is the Republicans who are seeking gambling expansion in Illinois in league with the Democratic Governor. Quoting from his story, Ibendahl writes, "Sadly it was a block of House Democrats led by House Speaker Mike Madigan who were acting the way Republicans are supposed to in this case."
We can do nothing but expect this trend to continue. Indeed, many Republican candidates for legislative seats downstate are now being defeated by Democrats who are pro-life, pro-gun, pro-family and, most important, they mean it. They talk the talk and walk the walk. Certainly, there are good Republicans who hold office in Illinois, but they are far too few and, sadly, their numbers are dwindling.
The Party of Abraham Lincoln has lost its way. Perhaps one day the Democratic Party will be the Party of family values in Illinois. It's not something that's hard to imagine. And, when that day comes about, the Republicans will only have themselves to blame.
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